Review-Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven

Title: Bad Romeo

Author: Leissa Rayven

Publishing House: St. Martin's Griffin

Nr. of Pages: 417

Rating: 5⭐/5⭐

Starcrossed series:

1) Bad Romeo

1.1) Bad Romeo Outtakes

2) Broken Juliet (review)

3) Wicked Heart

3.1) Backstage Pass

4) Bad Romeo Christmas

''Sometimes he's behind my eyes, weeping and exposed, and he's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
But it was an act.
He's an actor.''

Cassie Taylor met Ethan Holt when they were just two teenagers, two budding actors at acting school. She was innocent and he was the bad boy and, somehow, she fell hopelessly in love with him. That was a long time ago, when they were chosen for the Romeo and Juliet cast, where unexpectedly, they got the leading roles. Just like Romeo and Juliet, they were destined for suffering.

By reading Cassie's journal we find out everything about their relationship, everything about their past, about the beautiful moments they spent together, about their burning, overwhelming love, which burned so strongly that nothing was left.

He was her first, she was the one, and just like Romeo and Juliet, they were tragically separated. Ethan Holt broke her heart in an irreparable way. He betrayed her in a way that left her soul and her heart empty. All these stories happened six years ago. The last time Cassie saw him was three years ago and now she is sure she finally moved on.

Until she sees him again...

''What a great idea. All good stories need to start somewhere. Why should this one be any different?''

Cast as romantic leads once again, they are forced to play romantic scenes again, forced to touch each other, forced to talk, to kiss, to feel again that chemistry. After three years, he is back in her life and he seems to regret all he did to her. Ethan wants to be her Romeo now, but Cassie can't let that happen again. She can't afford a brand new heart, not after he destroyed it in the first place.

Even if she lied to herself that she got over him, when she sees Ethan Holt again, everything changes. And why should a cruel, heartless man be the love of her life? Why does he return to her life destroying the walls that she built around her heart?

He was her Romeo, but he was a bad Romeo. How could he think she would welcome him back in her life and forgive him for everything? After all, she was a fool, just like Juliet...

And he was a very bad Romeo...but a very good looking one...

One of my best friends recommended me this series four years ago, or more. And being my friend means knowing I won't read a recommendation earlier than three or four years after I heard of it. Shame on me, I know, but I finally read this amazing book and I can't believe how much I loved it!

I want to talk about the talent of description that Leisa Rayven has, because I can't remember when it's the last time I read a book with such good descriptions! This and also the hot tension between the characters! This is what made me read this story in a way that shows how addictive this series is to me!

Not only did I love the idea of the book, a love story between two actors, but I loved all the references to Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet! The scenes from the rehearsals and from the performances made Ethan's and Cassie's relationship seem even deeper. Because how can love be pictured more beautifully than when it happens between two artists?

By far, this is one of the most beautiful stories I've read this year! I loved Cassie and I loved how Leisa Rayven made her character so brave and extrovert but I loved Ethan more. The withdrawn Ethan Holt who could not afford to offer his heart on a tray, who in the end turns out to be exactly like Romeo. Such an irony, to become exactly like the character you hate the most...

I loved Leisa's style, I loved her characters so much and I loved this trope with my whole reader's being! This is always the irony, the fact that I always put off the best books that eventually become my favorites. Thanks to Ramo, my dear friend, I discovered this amazing author, this amazing series and the story is to be continued!

I can't wait to read the second book and also the third and I think I'll look for the novels too! Ethan Holt and Cassie Taylor are the best Romeo and Juliet I've ever seen. A Bad Romeo and a Broken Juliet, of course...

I hope you enjoyed my review and I hope you will give this series a chance because it's one of the brilliant stories!

“Why then, O brawling love! O loving hate!

O any thing, of nothing first create!

O heavy lightness, serious vanity,

Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms,

Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health,

Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!

This love feel I, that feel no love in this.”

― William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet